


Altar to the Unknown God

by CatelynTsukino



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Bittersweet Ending, Christianity, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Roman Catholicism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:42:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28363359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatelynTsukino/pseuds/CatelynTsukino
Summary: "You do not have to look like every other woman in this city to be worthy of love. Let me show you the truth."Jaime finds Brienne in a low point of her life and shows her a new way to see (and live in) the world.
Relationships: Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	Altar to the Unknown God

**Author's Note:**

> If you didn't check the tags before reading this: this story is heavy on Catholic references and imagery, although you don't have to be Christian to understand it.  
> I've wanted to do a Early Christian Era fanfic for years, but never found a way around it until I stumbled upon the story of the 'altar to the unknown god' featured in the Bible. I mixed it with my current Braime obsession, and voilá!  
> Historical/cultural notes to be found at the end notes. Enjoy!

In her dreams, Aphrodite visits her. She wears a blue dress and a blue veil. She's as beautiful as the statues depict her, perhaps more, and her eyes are kind. Always kind.

She tells her all manners of things; some expected, some strange.

 _Love is the primary force that drives all true good deeds in this world_ , she says once, out of nowhere. They are her only words before she awakes.

Whenever she visits her temple, asking for love or wondering why she was cursed with such a homely face, the goddess comes to her in her sleep.

 _You call me goddess of love and beauty_ , she says, sadness in her voice, _and yet you curse the gift bestowed upon you._

 _I do not understand_ , she replies, because she truly doesn't.

 _All creatures are beautiful_ , she tells her, sternly. _ugly beings are not allowed to enter this world._

 _But_ I am _ugly_ , she insists.

Aphrodite's face falls even more. _If you truly believe that, you should not pray to my name._ And then Brienne wakes up, tears rolling down her cheeks.

She goes to the temple to beg for forgiveness; for what, she's not sure, but if she truly offended the goddess, she must at least apologize.

People always stare at her when she comes here. Someone like her should not be praying before Aphrodite's statue—she is a stain amongst her worshippers. But this is the goddess that comes to her in time of need. Not Athena, not Artemis, not any other. So her temple is where Brienne goes; it's the least she can do.

When she leaves, she goes her usual way home—though it's been long since it last felt like it. Not since her father passed away, leaving her alone in this world. This time, though, something draws her eye.

Hidden among bushes, there is an unremarkable stone. Is it recently built? She's never noticed it before. Curious, she approaches it. As she gets close enough, she notices an inscription: _To an unknown god._

"Not many people come here", she hears a male voice behind her. Turning around, she is met with who could easily be Apollo himself incarnated.

He's the most beautiful man she's ever seen, and he's smiling at her.

She blinks, and manages to reply, "I—I've never seen this altar before."

He passes through her and touches the stone. "Most people don't notice it", he says quietly. "But it's—strange, huh? So many gods and goddesses, and someone built an altar to an _unknown god_. What could they be looking for?"

She shakes her head, unsure of how to respond. The handsome man turns back to her. "I've seen you come out of the temple of Aphrodite every other day", he tells her. "I live right across it. You usually look on the verge of tears, and today seems to be no different." The hand touching the altar falls by his side. "Pardon the intrusion, but if going there causes you so much sorrow, why do you keep doing it?"

The question startles her, not because he's essentially a stranger, but because it hits her with a truth she hasn't realized until now. "She's the goddess of love and beauty", she replies. "Both things I lack, so I go to her to ask for them."

The handsome man looks right into her eyes, and his gaze is so intense, she cannot move. Several moments go by before he says anything. "You do not have to look like every other woman in this city to be worthy of love."

His voice is low but firm, but his words sound like a jest. "Easy for you to say", she snaps, "when you look like a statue of Apollo."

He chuckles, but there is no mirth in his expression. "I assure you, my face never got me anywhere. Not anywhere that mattered, at least." He offers his hand. "Let me show you the truth of my words."

Something deep inside her tells her to trust him, but she's not ready. "Some other day", she says. "I don't even know your name."

"Jaime", he replies, letting his hand fall again. "My name is Jaime. And I'll hold on to your word…"

"Brienne", she supplies.

He smiles.

* * *

 _One can find beauty in many things_ , Aphrodite tells her that night. _Most find beauty only in a certain kind of face; those people are fools. There is beauty in everything if one looks for it._

 _Even in me?_ , she asks.

 _Of course_ , she replies, as if it's a well-known fact. _As I said, you would not be allowed to be born, had you been as haggish as you deem yourself to be._

A pause; Brienne doesn't know how to respond, but the goddess does not seem to expect it. _There is beauty in nature; every tree, every flower, every river, every animal. There is beauty in the things that are built, and in the things destroyed as well. There is an otherworldly beauty in life, and there is a poetic beauty in death._

That catches her off guard. _In death…?_

 _Yes_ , she replies firmly. _When one dies for the right reason, it is beautiful._

_And what would be the right reason?_

_Oh, dear child, what else would it be but love?_

* * *

Days pass before she meets Jaime again. He reminds her of her compromise to him, and she realizes that, as gentle as he is, he won't back down. So she accepts his offer.

He leads her to a secluded place in the city, where a few people are gathered. Those are not faces she recognizes, so she sticks to Jaime's side as they sit down to listen to the man speaking to the small crowd.

"I see that in every way you are very religious", he begins. "For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: _to an unknown god_. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations…"

It dawns on her: she's listening to a follower of the god of the cross, the one that left the Jews divided back in their settlement. She's heard of them, but never thought they'd have reached Athens. It's so far from where the so-called 'Messiah' lived and was executed.

She turns to Jaime, but he's so attentive to the man, she can't bring herself to distract him with her question. Deciding to save it for later—clearly, he has a reason to bring her here—she turns back to the speaker.

"God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring'. Therefore, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead."

At that last sentence, many raise their voices against the man, but another many ask him to clarify this. She takes advantage of the mess to confront Jaime. "Why did you bring me here? It's dangerous, for both of us!"

He fixes his gaze on hers, as intensely as the day they met. "You heard him, didn't you?" She nods. "I brought you here because what you seek cannot be found in the temple of Aphrodite, or in any other temple."

"How can you know what I seek?", she snaps.

"You said it yourself", he reminds her. "Love and beauty. But Aphrodite won't help you. Only the God who created us all, loves us all and offered his own son to redeem us all can."

She inhales sharply. "You can go to prison for this."

"I know."

"You can die for following this… god of yours."

"I know. But if it comes to that, I'll be dying for a worthy cause."

The memory hits her with full strength. _When one dies for the right reason, it is beautiful_.

"Show me more of this god, then", she asks, finally.

He smiles, and it's radiant. "Come, I'll introduce you to Paul—the one we just listened to."

* * *

It goes on for a few more days. Jaime introduces her to other followers, and they share their stories. He tells her some of his own, as well.

How he was kicked out of his birth home by his father when he found out about his change of worship.

How he used to think his sister Cersei was the incarnation of Aphrodite, until he 'found the truth of the world' and realized she was more of a reflection of the devil.

How he lost a dwarf brother in the cradle and was the only one to mourn him—the only one who loved him and recognized his beauty.

At each word he speaks, she falls more in love with him. At each life she gets a glimpse at, she is convinced she's been in the wrong for all of hers.

By the end of the month, she leaves her house and finds a new home amongst them.

By the end of the year, her new brothers and sisters stand witnesses to her wedding to Jaime.

* * *

Years pass. They hear the occasional news of Paul's journey and misadventures. Their chosen family grows, slowly but surely.

Their natural family grows as well. Within the first year of their marriage, Brienne finds to be pregnant. Jaime's smile is as radiant as the one he gave her when she asked to know more about God, and he kisses her belly before kissing her lips. "This child is very lucky", he whispers in her ear, "for he or she will have the most amazing woman in the world as their mother."

She cups his cheeks with her hands. "They will certainly have the best father anyone could have asked for."

However, as they lay in their bed later that night, she can't help but fear for her future child. She grew up motherless, with only a distant—and later sick—father for company. How can she be a good mother if she doesn't know _what_ a good mother is?

Aphrodite comes to her for the first time since her last visit to her temple.

 _Surprised?_ , she asks, amused, when Brienne's mouth is agape. _Well, I hope you came to understand all I've told you. Have you found beauty within yourself?_

She nods. _Jaime showed me first,_ she tells her, _and then… God made me sure of it._

For a moment, she fears the goddess will be enraged at the mention of her betrayal. But she only smiles. _God would not create anything that wasn't beautiful, my child, for He loves all of His creatures. Sometimes it just takes a different angle to see that beauty._

She blinks, and suddenly there is a cross pendant resting around Aphrodite's neck. _You are not a goddess, are you?_

The godd—the _woman_ smiles. _I let you call me Aphrodite_ , she explains, _because you were not ready for the truth._

_Am I, now?_

_Yes. You know, I was younger than you, when I became a mother. I was as afraid as you are now, but I knew I had God by my side to guide me. So will you. If ever in doubt, remember: Love is the answer. Love is what drove God to create us. Love is what drove him to rescue and guide us to His Light, even when we insisted on turning back to darkness. Love is what drove my son to the cross, and Love is what rose him from the dead._

She gasps. _Your son…?_

Suddenly, a light appears behind the woman. It blinds her, forcing her to look down at her feet. There is a snake under them, but she smashes it as if it's nothing. The light dies out, and she looks up again. Above her blue veil, a golden crown rests on her head. There are twelve stars decorating it.

 _I'm not Aphrodite_ , she repeats. _You may call me Mary… or Mother._

* * *

Her firstborn is a son, who they named Podrick. Two years later, he is followed by little Sansa. Over the years, they have three other children to add to their family: Tyrion, Catelyn and Arya. All of them a perfect mix between their parents, and loved by them with all their might.

Jaime is attentive to her in every pregnancy, and holds her during every birth. There are tears in his eyes each time he holds a newborn, and he thanks her as if she's done all the work—as if he hadn't given _her_ a gift as well.

"Beautiful like their mother", he insists every time, and she loves him a bit more for it.

"And wonderful like their father", she replies, and his eyes shine each time.

The children learn to pray, to share their food and clothes, to respect and obey the elders, to fast and to repent. Above all, they learn to love.

* * *

They have moved to Rome right after Catelyn's birth, after Cersei tried to lure Jaime back to his old life. "It isn't safe for our family", he claimed at the time. "Cersei was the first, but my father will surely find another way. I can't let that happen."

She understood, of course, and they decided the capital was the best place to go. And, for a long time, it _was_.

Until a great fire consumes the city. Jaime and Brienne escape with their three youngest, but Podrick—who had just married his sweetheart Pia—and Sansa—who ran to rescue her dog Sandor—perish in the flames.

The survivors hold a small service in honor of the dead, but they barely have time to mourn. The emperor suddenly declares all followers of Christ guilty of the fire and decides to punish them accordingly.

"It must be a jest", she tells her husband.

"I'm afraid not", he replies. "I've just heard they beheaded Paul."

"We have to leave this city", she whispers. "If not for ourselves, then for the kids."

He agrees and promises to find a ship to take them as far as possible.

Only, he doesn't come back.

* * *

One of her neighbors, Margaery, sneaks her inside the prison. Jaime is alone in his cell, much to her comfort—they can have a moment for themselves.

"I'm sorry", he tells her, cupping her cheek. "I should have been more careful."

"I don't know if any precaution in the world could have avoided this", she whispers, then takes a deep breath. This her last chance to say this. "Just… I love you, Jaime. More than I ever thought possible. I thank God every day for sending you in my path. You've given me love, freedom and joy. You rescued me from a life of falsehood and showed me the truth. I'll love you until the day I die and beyond."

With difficulty, he pulls her close and gives her a chaste kiss. "It is I who thank God every day for placing _you_ on my path, my love. You taught me so much as well, Brienne, and you've given me more than I ever dared wish for. I wouldn't trade any of what we've built for a longer life."

"Neither would I."

He smiles, and even in darkness his eyes shine. "Remember our second meeting, when I brought you to hear Paul?"

"Of course. How could I ever forget?"

"You told me I could die for following God." A mirthless laugh.

She caresses his cheek. "You said you'd die for a worthy cause", she reminds him. "I didn't believe it that much then, but I believe it now."

He nods in agreement. "I can only hope He will take pity on me for my death and let me stay in Heaven."

"I believe the right word is 'mercy', my love."

He hums, then speaks up, sounding serious. "Look after our children. Go somewhere safe. Tell them I love them."

"I will", she vows, kissing him briefly again. She hears Margaery calling. "I love you, Jaime. I will miss you for the rest of my days."

"I love you, Brienne", he replies quietly. "I'll be waiting for you."

* * *

She doesn't try to go see his execution; she knows he wouldn't want that to be her last memory of him. Instead, she and Margaery take advantage of the chaos of the day to sneak inside a ship with their families— _her_ husband managed to not be captured, thankfully, and helps them with all their needs until they reach Byzantium.

There, she watches her surviving children grow up, marry and have children of their own. She lives to see old age and passes away in her sleep.

In her last dream, Aphrodite— _Mary_ —comes to get her alongside her husband. He looks just like he did on the day they met. _My beautiful Brienne_ , he greets with his radiant smile. _We've been waiting for you._

Mary smiles too. _So, what do you say, my child? Is life beautiful?_

 _Yes_ , she replies, looking at Jaime, then at her. _And so can be death._

Both of them offer their hands. She takes them. _Everything is beautiful when fueled by love._

* * *

**Rome, 2019 AC**

"I wonder who came up with the idea of building an altar for 'an unknown god'", Brienne comments as they leave the museum.

Jaime shrugs. "Who knows", he replies. "I like to think they were referring to God Himself, even if they did not realize it."

For a moment, he lets his mind wander, until his wife shakes him off. "What were you thinking about just now?"

He shakes his head. "Just… how far we've gone. Not 'we' as in you and me, 'we' as in… the whole Catholic community." He scratches the back of his neck. "I mean, seeing this city today—it's hard to believe once we were imprisoned, tortured and executed here just for believing in God."

She tilts her head. "We still are", she reminds him, "in some places. But I get what you mean. Imagine if, say, Nero saw this."

He chuckles. "Well, even if we are not killed on _this_ side of the planet anymore, I can't say we come out unscathed either."

She nods, and he knows she remembers how he was disowned from the Lannisters after converting—how she felt guilty for driving him away from his family, only for him to reassure her she _freed_ him from that nest of vipers. How, even three years later, only Tyrion showed up at their wedding, and only to the feast following the religious ceremony. How they struggled to pay for this honeymoon, because his father left him with no money and he has yet to rebuild his financial estate—most of the financial help coming from _her_ family, and the Tarths are not that rich.

"I do believe it's worth it", she comments. "I mean, all those martyrs… they are recognized as saints today. What are a few decades of suffering compared to an eternity of joy and love?"

He hums in agreement, then kisses her. "I, for one, am glad I get to experience this joy and love while still on Earth."

She laughs, and oh how he loves her laugh. "So am I." They kiss again.

**Author's Note:**

> First of all: no, modern Jaime and Brienne are NOT a reincarnation of the protagonists. They just share their names - they are not even named after them, for they died anonymously.  
> The 'Unknown God' is a figure of worship present in ancient Roman Empire, though not so often featured. There are remains of an alter dedicated to it in the Palatine Museum in Rome (modern day Braime are leaving this exact museum, yes) and there is a mention of another in Athens in the Bible - more precisely, in the 17th chapter of Acts of Apostles, which St. Paul's speech is taken from.  
> There was a temple for Aphrodite in Athens, though how far it was from the Areopagus (place where Brienne hears Paul speak) I do not know. Only some ruins survived to present day, sadly.  
> It is commonly accepted that St. Paul was beheaded shortly after the Great Fire of Rome, when Nero blamed the Christians for it. The persecution that followed is considered the first led by the government; before that, most acts of prejudice and persecution were led by small groups, not sanctioned by the estate (even if not discouraged either).  
> Byzantium is the name of the city that turned into Constantinople in the 4th century, and known today as Istanbul.


End file.
